Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

Feel like a new person on vacation

I've been on vacation for 10 days now and other than some acute pain from RA aggravated osteoatrhritis (which I had injected with cortisone) and the relentless fatigue I suffer, my pain improvement has been dramatic. I predicted this and so did Coaltrain based on how I felt on previous vacations or medical leaves. This is now the 3rd extended break I've had since getting RA. The first two leaves from work I noticed significant inprovement only to return to work and find myself worse off than where I was prior to vacation. While at work I have frequent flares, chronic pain, acute pain, incredible amounts of inflammation and stiffness. I walk like someone from a horror movie! With the extra rest I get on vacation my symptoms subside and I can begin to garden again and do other things without being in nagging pain. Granted if I'm on my feet too long my feet and ankles will swell so I sure can't overdo it but I was just wondering if others here have had similar experiences?

With all this in mind I still have fatiigue and brain fog and I know that my reprieve is short lived. I've documunted everything, have line graphs to show my ups and down and have set the ball in motion to appy for an early disability retirement through my retirement board (not social security). I have a rheumy who claims will back me when I am ready and while I only need one physician to fill out the form I've been requested letters of support and records from my other doctors (physiatrists, podiatirists, etc....) clearly stating diiagnoses of my concomitant illnesses or how RA has made pre-existing conditions worse. I know in my heart it's the right thing and that I wouldn't feel this way without the extra rest. In fact I was running on empty having an impossible time even commuting when traveling to work. Why would I want to jump back into the fire? I couldn't keep a steady atendance record anyway and haven't worked a 5 day week since beffore last Christmas. So now the plan is to switch careers, taper down my hours and work from home, Has anyone else here made career changes in order to "lighten their load" and rest more in order to improve their RA? If so please share.
Greg

I have two kids in college and one just out, so don't have too many options. I'm lucky that my job is highly varied. I work for a tiny, multifaceted business. Most days I have quite a bit of freedom to sit, stand, walk around, or all of the above at my discretion. I don't know that I could do it if I was required to stand all day, or worse yet, sit all day.

From what you said over the winter and spring, the handwriting has been on the wall. You have finally had time to stop and read it. Get outta there, be thankful you have a good disability plan, and accept that this is your best course of action. You have thought out a Plan B, so put it into action. You will feel better, you won't be a menace to yourself or anyone else on the roads during your commute, and you will have the energy to ensure your yard doesn't end up looking like mine. Sayonara, middle-schoolers! Congratulations, Greg.

Alto you are right! The hand writing is clearly on the wall! Of course nothing happens overnight so I may have no choice but to continue getting treatment, keeping records and hope to get an application submitted by late August so I can get out by mid September. You wouldn't believe the comments I've heard from doctors who have flat out said they won't do the paperwork, they hate disability, etc. What about the well being of their patients? I just hope my current rheumy keeps his word and helps me because I do drive a couple towns away to see him. I have a couple back ups anyway but starting over just means it will take longer. If it wasn't for my difficulty driving I wouldn't be in any hurry and would be content teaching another year. In my case and due to my drive it's just not worth hanging in there another year. I hope my retirement board lets me include my own journal and list of advantages of taking the early retirement. I do have to provide a hand written statement as to how my disability effects my job but I simply have so much more to add that I believe will present a clearer picture for them. Then again, maybe they just want the statement of disability from my doctor and couldn't care less about the rest. One person recently was approved for plantar fasciitis. I have that and a whole lot more! In fact I wasn't going to include it by why not. Not being able to stand for long equates to a winning case. My retirement examiner tipped me off on that one.

I work from my home along with my husband. It works wonderfully for us. I can rest when I need to, and I have found that I feel so much better if I can get that extra rest. I, too, have noticed that I feel so much better on vacation (even working from the home).

Here's hoping that all goes well with the paperwork and your retirement/disability board through school.

Thanks Linda! I'm stilll gonna need to work but I look forward to the day when I can set my own hours. Unfortunately these things take time. My process is still shorter than Social Security Disability but getting doctors to complete paperwork is a nightmare. I'm hoping to get my application in within the next couple months. It's not something I want to rush. The review board almost always approves the application when everything is in order and done correctly but there is no appeal process for me so it needs to be done right the first time!

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